Automatic handwheel clutch



June 6, 1944. c. w. BRYANT y 2,350,958

AUTOMATIC HANDWHEEL CLUTCH Filed Oct. l5, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet `l /X l/////V//////4 June 6, 1944. c.-w..B .RYAN1-," 2,350,958

AUnbMATIo HA-NDWHEEL cLUTcH' y Filed oct. 15., 1942 2 sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 6, 1944 UNITED i STATE.

I f AUTOMATICHANDWHEL Curran f ,Y Corwin W. Bryant,- Downers Grove, 111., assigner l to Crane Co., Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Il- Applieatitn october 15, lala-'serial No. 462,445 4.01am; ('cl. 19a-54) This invention-4 relates. vto `an actuating l means .of one ofsaid means of operation the other'of usaid means of operation may: be disengaged.

Another important objectresides in the provi- Asion of a safety means whereby the valve hand- -wheel shaft or the like is notnormally operable to Aactuate `the .valve when the latter is being power driven, the clutch means therebetween being so arranged that when the handwheelis released by the' operator vafter Vmanual actuation the said clutch means-are immediately disengaged.

A still further important object is to provide a device in whichfthe rotationv of the `handwheel `shaft accomplishes theY sequential engagement of the clutch andthe rotation of avalve stem or the like,l thedevice being devoid of gears or levers.

Another important lobject is to provide a simple compact clutchlmech'anismfor a valve for selective operatirni, employing friction means for en- `gagement vili-than operating block for yieldably 'resisting' rotational movement of same and with `cam means [operable byv the valve handwheel or the like to=move'the said block axially to engage the alumni.; r

"other and' further 1, impbrtat Vvobjects. of'l this mven'tionwill become apparent from the disclosures in the accompanying drawings and thefollowingspecifcaton.-

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional assembly view of the automatic handwheel clutch of this invention.

Fig. 2 is a view of the device taken at right angles to Fig. 1 and only partially in section.

As shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, the reference numeral I indicates generally the actuating shaft or stem of a valve or other device (not shown) which is power driven by a suitable motor or prime mover (not shown) preferably positioned at the broken end of the shaft and manually driven by the mechanism at the opposite end of the shaft, as shown. The clutch block 2 is keyed to the shaft I by means of the key 3 and retained within the housing dened by the cover plate 4 and the casing 6. Clutch means 'I is mounted on the clutch block 2 which operatively engages the oppositely positioned clutch means 8, the latter 55 member being a unitary part of the operating block 9 of this device. Providing for axial movement of the operator block v9 and its integral clutch means 8 is the prime object of this device and such object is obtained by the novel mechanical arrangement hereinafter described. Mounted centrally of the operator block isthe intermediate shaft I l, the upper end of which is adapted to receive a valve operating handwheel (not shown) as indicated at I2. It is the object that by themere ,rotation of such handwheel, which rotates the shaft II to cause anaxial movement of the operator block 9 and thereby cause interengagement ofthe clutch means I and 8, to thus complete a direct drive from the handwheel to the shaft I. Such axial movement of the operator block isaecomplished in the manner hereinafter described.

The handwheel shaft I I is preferably provided with outer andinnerl bearings, at I3 and I4, around which the retaining nut I6 threadedly engages the casing or housing 6. A cam block II is xedly held .to the handwheel shaft II against longitudinal and rotative movements by means of the pinl'and the key I9 respectively. The cam block I'I is provided with a V cam 2| (more clearly shown in Fig. 2) which functions to engage the V-shaped recess 22 in the operating block 9. A collar 23 threadedly engages the handwheelshaft II and after proper adjustment a set screw 24 is positioned in place to thereby prevent Ifurther axial movementof the collar 23. Above the collar 23 the ball bearing 25 is placed and upon which is set the spring 26. The operating yblock 9 is provided with an inwardlyextending annular flange 2'I, as indicated. The spring 26 is held between the bearing 25 andthe flange 2l thereby serving to maintain the operating block 9 and its integral clutch means 8 upwardly and normally outl of engagement with the clutch means 1.

Positioned circumferentially around the operating block 9 are the longitudinally extending grooves or indentations 28 suitable for the reception of the retarding ball 29 which is spring loaded and thereby forced against the operating block 9 by means of its back-up member 3I and the spring 32.

In considering manual operation, it is thus apparent that rotation of the handwheel (not shown) which is normally mounted upon the square I2 causes like rotation jointly of the cam block I'I and of the operating block 9 by means of the V cam interconnection therebetween. However, it will be apparent also that the spring pressed ball 29 engages one of the grooves or indentations 28 within the operating block 9 and,

wheel on the'operating square portion VI2 of thestem H is directly connected to the shaft l to effect the desired rotation of the sha/'ft by'thev handwheel. 1

It will therefore be seen,v thatbyg-"my invention a safety device is provided wherein the handwheel is not normally operable when the valve is being driven by a power means to theextent that the clutch is so arranged that engagement is secured when the handwheel is rotated in either directi'orfr but is `a uto'matioally disengaged by meansof'the 'spri-ng26when the/operator releases the handwheel. Itisifurther'iapparent :that the device is simple and cennpact and @does 'not employ movable vgea-rsf'or levers suoli I*as have been previously- 'deemed necessary ein' lsimilar devices'. Further all partsl areA arrangedto Y be VIpositioned on a common C"axis and lareco'nined-to relatively short 4overall dimensions.-

umer'ous changes 'may helmade vland the I`de,- Vtails 'of; construction fvaried throughout av Wide closed herein?. `It-i's thereforemotlproposed to limit the patentgranted hereon otherwisethan asneces'sitat'ed 'by-theappendedclairns 44Ifclaim:v`4` f 1 -In ja valve -actuating^-mechanismor the like,

Vthe comiirration including valve actuating-means comprising a "drive 4`sha-ft, Y a l"clutch member on "the sai'dfs'rxa'faV manual *operating means, a- 'clutch vmerribe'i"'driven 'by "trie `'saidina'rrual operating means inormal'lyout Joff"engagement with `the 'clutch member on the `rsaid' drive shaft, mean-s 'operated "by movement 'of'the-'saidma'nual operating means for moving the 'clutch-member driven "by tl'ies'a'id'operatingmeans axially into engagement 'with thepth'er clutch member "so'that said drive slfifait'ifiay be' rotated by said"manual op- Aeraitiiig means, means responsive for "movingsaid movable Avclutch member Aaxially out of engagew`ith saidot'her 'clutch member 'when movie- `"merit di the 'manual' operating means ceases, said nrrie'ans operated "b'y the rotation'of the 'saidim'anf *ual `o1per'atin'g means for moving the 'clutch 'member driven bythe said latter meansaxiauyinito engagement'witn maenner 'durch "member etimprisrrigfaiv-shapea cam cooperating with a `vshaped recess, recessed portions intermediate the V-shaped cam and the clutch member, spring pressed means adapted to engage the said recessed portions whereby when actuation is started the spring pressed means engaging the said recessed portions retards the rotation thereof with a resultant axial movement of the clutch member, resilient meansl for moving said movable clutch member:rr axially lout of engagement with the other said clutch member.

l2. In a valve actuating mechanism or the like, a housing, a drive shaft, 'an operating block mounted for vaxial and rotational movement in said housing, a clutch interposed between the drive shaft'and the 'operating block, a handwheel shaft journaled for rotational movement in the housing, cam means operable by the handwheel for imparti-ng'axial and rotational movement to theoperating block, and friction means engaging the operating block to yieldably resist rotational `mo'vr'einent thereof andi cause the cam meansitoimovefthe'operatingblock axially toward-'the driveshaft'tollengage the clutch.

--3. In a valve actuating 'mechanism or the like, 'a housir1jg-,`-ae drive Ashaft-flan operating block 'mountedfor '-ax'ialfandy rotational 'movement in said housingya clutch interposed' Abetween the driveV shaftv and 'tliejoperating block, a 'hand-wheel shaft 'j'o-urnaled for *rotational movement in Vthe housing, cam-'mieansJopei-ableby Vthe handwheel -for impartingfaxial fand-'rotational movement to the operating block, "and friction meansy engaging the-mo'eratinjg'*ithaca` to Avyieldalaly resist Arota1 `tional movement Lthereof*and cause the cani means to move the operating block axially toward theA drive shaiftto engage the "clutch,` Aand mcanso'for movi-ng ith'e operatingl fbloc'k axially to disengage'lthelclutch fu'pdn termination ofv vvthe Arotational movementv ofv 4the handwheelshaft j 4. Iii-'a valve "actuating "mechanism or'the like, a housing, a fdr'i-ve `shaft, Van "operating Vblock "mounted Lfor 'axial Vandv rotational 'movement in `said housing; a 'clutohinterposed-betweenthe 'driveshaft J and' the :operating block, 4a' handwheel shaft journaled for "rotational 4movement in "the housing, :cam means loperable bythe handwheel for imparting axialand' rotational' movement to the Akoperating 4 block, friction means engaging the operating :block "to yi'eldab'ly' resist rotational movementthereofand"cause 'the cam means to movethe operating block;` axialiytowardthedrive shaft-'to 'engage the clutch, and springme-llsinterposed between the handwheel shaffandfr'the "operatingblockrfor moving the 'latter axially to disengage 'the 4: clutchu'upon'termination 'of the rotational movement ofthe iliarrdwheelshaft. 

